Join Us in Balmy Kenya, Part 2

Yes, you can be there even if you can’t take a 10-day trip. And not only watch elephants, lions, and zebra plus more wildlife but attend the well dedication. Let’s start with a letter from Steve King, who wrote the original grant for the Oltorotua village well and has shepherded it to completion via e-mails and a visit there. See below for a lot of good info. The trip through Lori is shorter and very reasonably priced. Here’s the itinerary.

Hello Everyone,

Please also see the message that follows from Lori Wentworth of Travel Leaders travel agency.

The trip is being booked in Kenya through Paul Kirui of www.soinafricasafaris.com. Paul is one of the most experienced safari guides in East Africa and is very familiar with the Maasai Mara and the Maasai Village of Oltorotua. He is also a very good friend of both Mary Bowman-Kruhm and Jackson Liaram. Mary and her family have taken several safaris with Paul and speak very highly of him. I stayed at the Fig Tree Safari Lodge in 2012 and found the accomodations outstanding. Travelers will board a Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) jet out of Dulles, VA, on Wednesday, Feb. 11th. They will return to Dulles on Monday, Feb. 16th at 4:00pm. Both flights stop in Amsterdam for transfers.

As Lori explains in her message, the quote below includes round trip airfare, food, lodging, transportation in Kenya and game drives on Friday afternoon and most of the day on Sunday. Her quote does not include trip insurance. You can buy that from Lori or through another vendor if you wish. I highly recommend it. Also, the Flying Doctors cards will cover the cost of picking you up, providing temporary medical care and delivering you to the airport or a hospital in Kenya, but you should check with your private medical insurance carrier to make sure that you are covered should be admitted to a hospital in Kenya. It can be very expensive. Most people will elect to fly home for extensive treatment if your condition will allow it.

Paul’s employees will pick you up at Kenyatta Int. Airport on Thursday evening and return you to the airport safe and sound on Sunday evening. Please note that the cost below does not include the cost of dinner on Sunday evening, but Lori is touch with Paul to discuss a slight additional increase to cover Sunday evening dinner at the Eka Hotel. More to come on that.

I should also mention that the Travel Leaders’ quote does not include the cost ($50.00) of the Kenyan entry visa and, in addition to a Yellow Fever vaccination, there several other medications as well as anti-malaria medication that you may want to consider. I am not a doctor, but I would not take Mefloquine for Malaria prevention, as press reports indicate that it has been banned for use by the U.S. military because of severe psychiatric reactions experienced by a number of personnel that served in Irag and Afganistan.

This is going to be a trip of a life time if you are able to go. You will be awed at how close you will get to the wild animals of the Serengeti and more importantly, your presence as honored guests of the Maasai villagers of Oltorotua will give you an opportunity to experience first hand the appreciation that the village residents feel towards the Rotarians, UUCF members, and friends who donated through UUCF that have helped them so much. Very few Kenyans, much less westerners, are given such an opportunity. However, it’s now a little less than 5 weeks before the trip begins, so please let Lori know as soon as possible if you plan to attend. One last thing, some of the vacinations and medications must be administered a week or two before you arrive in Kenya, so you need to see the international travel physician asap.

Hi Steve,
Just received the quote from Paul. With airfare, 1night in Nairobi at the Eka Hotel with airport transfers, Air to the Mara, 2nights Fig Tree , afternoon game drive on 2/13, 2/14 transfer to village and then eve Masai Warrior show, 2/15 am game drive, return air to Nairobi, transfer to international airport for flight home.

Price also includes Flying Doctors cards, and Park entry fee.

Total cost with airfare is $2773.40 per person NOT including trip insurance. Price is subject to change as the airfare can fluctuate. Rates are based on two people sharing hotel/lodge rooms.

Single supplements are $700.00 ( covers private room in Nairobi as well as at the Fig Tree)

Donation Method 1

• Write a check to UUCF with “Dig This Well” in FOR line at bottom of check.
• Include your name or indicate anonymous donation (name but not am't. will go into post).
• Mail check to: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick, 4880 Elmer Derr Rd., Frederick, MD 21703.
• For contribution of $20 or more, you will receive a packet of 5 notecards.(Complete directions: Sept. 25, 2011 post)

Donation Method 2

PayPal: Use this button for secure donation. Note that PayPal charges a processing fee. For the full amount of your donation to go to the Well send funds by check, see Donation Method 1.